The present invention relates to an agitator and an agitator assembly for mixing materials. More particularly, the present invention relates to dough mixing and an agitator designed to provide for more uniform and rapid dough mixing within a mixing bowl.
FIG. 5 illustrates a conventional agitator assembly 2 comprising a pair of agitator shafts 4 and a set of sweep blades 6 mounted thereto. The shafts are caused to rotate in a mixing direction 8. Unfortunately, some mixing discontinuities may occur in the prior art agitator assembly 2 because the flow of material in the vicinity of the agitator assembly 2 tends to be focused at the center of the agitator assembly, see directional arrows 3. Material at the periphery of a mixing bowl in which the agitator assembly 2 is positioned is under mixed and material at the center of such a mixing bowl is over mixed. Further, the focused flow is not conducive to an efficient and rapid mixing operation.
Accordingly, there is a need for an agitator and an agitator assembly that ensures that materials are mixed uniformly throughout the mixing bowl. There is also a need for an agitator design that yields improved mixing rates within a mixing bowl.